Frenemies
by 74th-hungergames
Summary: Katniss loses one of her few friends: Madge. Madge's father buys the forest from the Capital to expand district 12. And Madge is happy, obviously Katniss is not. Madge also starts dating Peeta, Katniss' crush. Katniss attempts something that couldn't be undone.
1. Chapter 1

Katniss' POV

I was trudging through the forest, like I do every morning before my usual minuscule breakfast of half a slice of stale bread from the bins of the Mellark bakery, and a bit of semi-decomposed apple from the apple tree that Mother, Father and I planted when Prim was born, to symbolise her life.

I love this forest, because my earliest memory was here. I was with my late father, and he brought me to a secret lake. It became our secret lake, but now it's just my secret lake. Mother had made me a swimsuit with a picture of a Katniss plant on it, and father brought me to lake and taught me how to swim.

He said I looked as elegant as a swan, and that I was the best swimmer he had ever seen. Although I knew he was just saying that to boost my confidence. But that was what I loved about him: he always knew how to make you happy. I really didn't realise how much I took him for granted until he died.

So, I was just walking around the forest aimlessly, when Gale snuck up on me. "Ugh! You nearly gave me a heart attack! What would have happened if you scared an animal away, which I was about to kill?!" I retorted. In which Gale replied with "But you weren't, I was watching you the whole time." "Ahhhhh stalker!" I said with a playful tone.

Gale and I wandered through the forest, checking the bushes, climbing the trees and peering through the canopy in search of any potential prey. Then we had gone so far, we had actually left the camouflage of the forest, and we were out in the open. We spotted a field of sheep. There were numerous lambs. I decided I wanted lamb stew for dinner.

One little lamb wandered too far from its mother, and it fell prey to my bow.


	2. Chapter 2

***dream****

Where am I? I see father! I sprinted towards him, "Daddy, daddy!" I called. Filling my lungs I prepared to call to him again…why does the air taste like strawberries? I thought to myself. "Father! Daddy! Papa! Dad?" He's just standing there, why won't he answer me? The strawberry air made me feel queasy. Suddenly my feet wouldn't budge, I felt like I was in some freak spinning frenzy, yet I wasn't moving. I am sinking…I'm sinking…why am I freakin' sinking?

***dream over***

Oh gosh, I fell asleep in a ditch…full of mud. That explains the sinking. Oh and there's a berry bush, must have been the strawberry air. I am starving, my stomach is growling like a panther, its almost as if it is saying "feed me or I will feed myself." Wait, I really must be hungry if I'm talking about my stomach speaking to me.

**Do you remember summer '09? Wanna go back there every night. Just can't lie, it was the best time of my life.**

Oh that's my phone. I have the best ring tone ever. One direction are amazing. Short attention span. I was so busy fangirling I forgot about the actual phone call.

**MISSED CALL: Madge**

I called her back. "Hey Kat" she sounded oddly cheerful. "yeah what did you want?" I questioned, "Oh I was just wondering if you wanted to come over for tea?" she chirped. "uh yeah, I suppose." "ok see you then, oh and we are having roast lamb by the way." "K bye!" I laughed.

I got out of the ditch, shook free my hair of any dirt and bugs, and re-tied my braid. Madge had taught me how to do a fishtail braid, so that's what I did. "two sections, take a piece.. move it over.. and repeat…" I murmured to myself.

I was walking to Madge's house, and realised I had never formally met Madge's parents before, so I decided to get them a gift. I went to the off license to buy them a bottle of wine. "Champagne, white, red…aha ros'e!" I listed quietly as I looked through the aisles. I went to the checkout with the bottle of wine and a few bags of pretzels and sweet chili nuts for me and Madge.

"I.D please darlin'." Said a vaguely familiar voice. Searching through my bag for my driver's license, my passport, my anything really, I questioned "Are you hitting on me?" I momentarily look up and saw the sweetest face ever. WOAH! Its Peeta…. Say nothing Katniss, just move on, I told myself. "you're right, I'm not much of a good flirt." "Oh shut up! And, we're in the same year at school, why do you need my I.D?" I asked. "Just an excuse to talk to you I suppose." I seemed kind of ashamed. "Listen, this doesn't happen often, but I like you." I found my licence and gave it to him. "my number's on the back. See ya." "Thanks Katniss." "Sure. Bye!"

As I walked out, the biggest smile danced its way onto my face. Then a frown crept on, shooing any molecule of happiness away. I realised what's happening, I'm going to fall into the depths of love, and drown when it leaves. I shouldn't have let my guard down. The concrete walls around my heart are cracking.

I just walked on until I got to Madge's house clearing my thoughts as I went. She answered the door. "Hey Kat. Do yo.." "I brought pretzels and nuts." I cheered, cutting her off in the process. "Oh my god Kat! I love you!"

"Mum, dad! Katniss is here!" They came to the mahogany door, smiling. Pearly white teeth shining. "Hello dear. Do come in." Madge's mother greeted me. "We are Mr and Mrs Stanton." Said her father proudly. "But you can call us Ellen and Jonathan. Do come in." she said. "I bought you a bottle of wine to say thank you." I smiled. "Well you are a polite young lady!" Ellen said. Madge and I immediately exchanged glances and smirked at each other, thinking of our dirty inside jokes.

Madge and I ran upstairs before tea to eat our snacks.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys. This is gonna be a short chapter, because its just a repeat of the last one, but in Peeta's P.O.V. **

Peeta P.O.V

9:30. Fifteen minutes until my shift ends. I don't even see why I have to work here, I want to decorate cakes at the Bakery. But I'm not allowed…I mean George doesn't even know how to work the icing pipe, he was burst three of them all of which have come out of my wages. Which according to mother, is my fault for not teaching him properly…typical. He's obviously the favourite child.

Oh god, I've been here ranting in my head, hadn't even noticed all those customers. "I.D please, Darlin'." I said to probably the prettiest girl I have ever seen.. Katniss I think her name is, she goes to my school. "Are you flirting with me?" she questioned me. I hesitated, tangled, lost in her smooth voice. I finally answered, "Uh yeah, I suppose.. you're right. Sorry." I scratched the back of my neck, embarrassed. She bit her bottom lip.. Damn that's sexy.

We started talking, not really paying any attention to the rather impatient customers in line behind. She gave me her licence, it had her mobile number on the back. She smiled and left. Dazed by her beauty, I hadn't noticed I still had her licence in my palm. I ran out, but she and her adorable braid, were gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys. This is gonna be a short chapter, because its just a repeat of the last one, but in Peeta's P.O.V. **

Peeta P.O.V

9:30. Fifteen minutes until my shift ends. I don't even see why I have to work here, I want to decorate cakes at the Bakery. But I'm not allowed…I mean George doesn't even know how to work the icing pipe, he was burst three of them all of which have come out of my wages. Which according to mother, is my fault for not teaching him properly…typical. He's obviously the favourite child.

Oh god, I've been here ranting in my head, hadn't even noticed all those customers. "I.D please, Darlin'." I said to probably the prettiest girl I have ever seen.. Katniss I think her name is, she goes to my school. "Are you flirting with me?" she questioned me. I hesitated, tangled, lost in her smooth voice. I finally answered, "Uh yeah, I suppose.. you're right. Sorry." I scratched the back of my neck, embarrassed. She bit her bottom lip.. Damn that's sexy.

We started talking, not really paying any attention to the rather impatient customers in line behind. She gave me her licence, it had her mobile number on the back. She smiled and left. Dazed by her beauty, I hadn't noticed I still had her licence in my palm. I ran out, but she and her adorable braid, were gone.

By then my shift had ended. I took off my name tag and was about to walk out of the door, keys in hand when my manager Mr Renazlo called me into his office beckoning me with his spindly fingers. I walked in and smiled, greeting him with the friendliest gesture I could muster. "I do not see why you are smiling boy." He spoke with a face giving no indication of emotion, his words lingered in the air all around me. My smile faded into a blank canvas, sighing, I wondered what was on his mind. "Yes sir, anything I can help you with sir?" my voice quivered shyness. He looked deep into my eyes, "I have had a number of complaints about your recent attention span son, multi-" "What? Who? Why?" I questioned, getting rather impatient. "If you would let me finish child, that was what I wanted to ask you. Apparently, you have been holding up nearly a dozen customers (most of which left after queuing for over fifteen minutes) whilst you had a chit-chat with a local brunette girl. May I remind you, Peeta Mellark, that whilst under my employment "chit-chat" is completely and utterly unacceptable in the workplace." ... "But.. but ..Oh I don't know. To hell with it!" I stood up, scratching the back of my neck. "Oh to hell with it then is it? To hell with this job, Mellark? Fine. Go. Leave. You are sacked, fired, redundant, whatever you youths call it nowadays." He declared, cracking his knuckles. In reply I mumbled,"Gladly."

I left the cramped office, left the off licence, left my job. Only to go home to an even more cramped bakery, a holding pen of foul pigs and the stern words of my parents for losing my job in the first place.

**Hi guys! Hope you enjoyed. The more favourites, follows and reviews I get, I will start to update more regularly, with longer chapters! ~Beth**


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